Indian Vegetable Bhaji Food

INDIAN RESTAURANT STYLE ONION BHAJIA - DEEP FRIED ONION FRITTERS

Steps:

• Put the vegetable oil into a large pan and heat over a medium to high heat.
• Make the batter: In a large bowl, add the chickpea flour, baking powder, rice flour, turmeric, black onion seeds, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and the water. Mix together well and then add the sliced onion - mix the onion through until well coated.
• Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a small cube of bread in - it should brown fairly slowly - not burn or go dark brown straight away.
• Carefully drop spoons of the bhaji batter in to the oil, do NOT overcrowd as they will stick together. Fry them in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes until they are a golden brown and crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain on a paper covered plate in a warm oven.
• Repeat until all the bhaji batter is finished and they are all cooked.
• Sprinkle over a little salt and serve straight away with coriander chutney or cucumber raita.

INDIAN VEGETABLE BHAJI

Steps:

• Place the potatoes, cauliflower florets, carrot, and peas into a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on High until the vegetables are very hot and starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap, and drain the vegetables in a colander.
• Place the vegetable oil in a large skillet, and heat over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion until it turns golden, about 10 minutes, and stir in the cumin seed, black mustard seed, and bay leaves. Cook and stir until the seeds begin to sputter, about 30 seconds, and then add the green chiles, garlic, and ginger. Cook and stir until the garlic begins to brown, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the ground cumin, curry powder, and chili powder, and then add the partially cooked potatoes, cauliflower, carrot, and peas. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender and coated with spices, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

PAV BHAJI RECIPE (MUMBAI STREET STYLE)

Steps:

• Add 1 cup cauliflower florets, 1½ to 2 cups cubed potatoes, carrots (optional) and ½ to ¾ cup peas to a pot or pressure cooker.
• Pour 1½ cups water and cook until soft or tender.
• If cooking in cooker, let it whistle twice. When the pressure releases open the lid and mash them well.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil to a pan and heat up.
• Next add ¾ to 1 cup finely chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent.
• Then add 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste and 1 chopped green chili.
• Fry till it becomes fragrant.
• Next add ½ cup capsicums & saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add ¾ to 1 cup chopped tomato and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Fry till tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
• Next add 1 teaspoon chili powder,¼ teaspoon turmeric and 1 to 1½ tablespoon pav bhaji masala powder.
• Mix and fry for another 2 minutes or until the raw smell of the mixture goes away.
• Add boiled & mashed veggies.
• Pour more water (½ to ¾ cup) just enough to bring to a thick consistency.
• Cook for 3 to 5 mins until the bhaji thickens. Taste and add more salt if needed. If you want it more spicy, add another half tsp chilli powder and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add ¾ tbsp kasuri methi if using and cook until it reaches a desired consistency.
• Slit the pav buns horizontally leaving one edge intact.
• Heat butter on a pan. Open the buns and sprinkle some pav bhaji masala on the butter.
• Place the pav & toast them for a min or two.
• Garnish with onions, butter and lemon wedges. Serve pav bhaji hot or warm.
• Press SAUTE button on the instant pot. Pour 1 tablespoon oil and add 1 tablespoon butter to the steel insert.
• Add ¾ to 1 cup onions and 1 slit green chilli. Saute until transparent.
• Then stir in 1 tablespoon ginger garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
• Add ¾ to 1 cup tomatoes, ½ cup chopped capsicum and sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt. Saute until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
• Then add in 1 to 1½ pav bhaji masala, 1 teaspoon chilli powder and ¼ teaspoon turmeric.
• Mix well and add all the veggies - 300 grams potatoes, 1 cup cauliflower florets, ½ cup carrots and ½ to ¾ cup green peas.
• Pour 2 cups water and deglaze the pot by scrubbing the bottom with a wooden spatula.
• Press CANCEL button and press PRESSURE COOK button with high pressure setting. Set the timer to 5 mins and position the steam release handle to sealing.
• When the IP beeps, wait for 5 mins for natural pressure release. Gently release the rest of the pressure manually.
• There will be lot of water when you open the lid. With a masher, mash all the veggies well, they will soak up the water.
• Press SAUTE button. If needed add more salt, pav bhaji masala and more red chilli for a brighter color. I usually add ½ teaspoon more red chilli powder at this stage.
• Let the bhaji simmer for 3 to 4 mins. It will thicken. Then add add crushed kasuri methi and mix. Press cancel. Sprinkle coriander leaves and 1 tablespoon butter.
• Slit each bun to 2 horizontally. Heat a pan. Smear some butter and sprinkle pav bhaji masala over the butter. (check images above) Toast the pavs until lightly crisp.
• Transfer bhaji to serving bowls. Top with butter & coriander leaves.
• Serve alongside toasted buns and freshly cut onions.

ONION BHAJI

Steps:

• Make the batter, mix all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with water to create a batter with a consistency similar to heavy cream (double cream in the UK). You might need to add more water than written in the ingredient list above.
• Slice the onions into thin slices and separate them just a little.
• Add the onions to the batter.
• Stir the onions with the batter so that it coats the onion slices well.
• Heat canola or vegetable/corn oil to 355°F (180C°), then using 2 spoons of your hands start dropping clusters of onions in the batter (about 3-4 at a time), and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
• Using a spider or slotted spoon, remove the bhajis from the oil, and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Enjoy hot on their own, or serve with a yogurt mint raita.

INDIAN FAVOURITE PAV BHAJI

Steps:

• For the masala:.
• Roast for about 1 minute all the spices separately. One after the other in same pan is ok.Its just to dry them out fully and bring out their flavours. Cool these completely.
• Grind them together. This may make more quantity of masala than needed for this recipe. (Use 2-3 tbsp for this recipe).
• Store in air tight, dry containers.
• For the gravy (Bhaji):.
• Just blanch together peas, cauliflower,carrots.
• Mash the potatoes. Finely chop and de-seed tomatoes. Finely chop capsicum.
• Make a paste of ginger and garlic.
• In a large thick bottomed deep pan heat oil. Add cumin seeds. Let them pop a little.
• Add the ginger garlic paste, sautee for a minute. Add chopped onions.
• Add turmeric, asefoteda and chilli powder. Also add half of the pav bhaji masala (1 -1 1/5 tbsp).
• Sautee till the onion turns translucent. Stir continuously to avoid sticking and burning it.
• Drop in the blanched vegetables, tomatoes and potatoes and capsicum.
• With a hand masher or the back of a big ladle, mash up all the vegetables inside the pan. Add 1 cup water from the blanching. Mash well.
• Add some more water if needed to create a thick gravy consistency. Mash to bring it all together.
• Add salt and remaining masala. Also add a dash of black pepper powder if you want more heat.
• Check for seasoning.
• Let it cook for 10 minutes approximately Stir occasionally.
• Put chopped coriander leaves and some butter. Cover to keep its flavours.
• Heat a flat pan. Slit the buns horizontally. But not completely keeping the two sides hinged to each other. Generously butter the buns ( on all sides if you wish!).
• Place them on the hot pan till slightly golden changing to toast all the surfaces in turn. It is a must to do this just before serving the dish as these do not taste as good if re-heated.
• To serve:.
• Put some bhaji, garnish it with some more coriander if you like, butter, and squeeze some lemon juice on top, place 2 pavs with it and some chopped onion to go with.